Minto Says Nose Injury Won't Prevent Parker Clash

By Liam Napier

Brian Minto will today find out whether he broke his nose during sparring this week. But regardless of the 11th-hour injury the American heavyweight plans to fight through the pain in his bout against Joseph Parker.

Fairfax Media understands Minto had X-rays yesterday to determine the damage caused by a blow he took from Commonwealth Games-bound Kiwi David Light this week. Minto will today consult a specialist to find out the results and avoid any further sparring to protect the injury.

‘‘As far as I can see it just looks like a badly bruised area,’’ Minto said last night.

‘‘I’ve been icing it and doing all the things I’ve got to do to keep the swelling down. It’s just part of the fight game. No-one ever goes into a fight 100 per cent.

‘‘It hurts like hell but I’ll carry on. Maybe it evens the playing field with his eardrum being perforated. I don’t believe Joseph Parker’s eardrum is completely healed yet.’’

Minto indicated even if the specialist said his nose was broken, the fight with Parker on July 5 in Manukau would go ahead as planned.

‘‘I’ll have to think about that, but probably not,’’ he said of results changing his mind.

‘‘That’s worst-case scenario. I’m not even thinking about that at the moment.

‘‘It’s what you call life. You’ve got to overcome obstacles once in a while. It wouldn’t be the first time. When I fought Shane Cameron my rib was fractured three weeks before that. I came over here with a rib that was barely healed and I beat him. I also fought with a broken thumb when I knocked Axel Schulz out. If anything I’ve been through this many times.’’

‘‘It’s bruised up; there’s a bit of swelling and his eyes have gone a bit dark but it’s just business as usual. The fight is all go,’’ he said. ‘‘Even it [his nose] was broken it probably wouldn’t change anything. He’s a tough man and he’s come here to fight.’’

New Zealand Professional Boxing Association secretary Pat Leonard said Minto would have to be examined by referee Guy Naden at next week’s weigh-in but, ultimately, the decision to fight or not was a personal choice.

‘‘Brian should declare it to the doctor,’’ Leonard said.

‘‘He will have to be satisfied that no serious injury can result from it. The bone in there is not too far away from the brain. But it will be up to Brian to decide whether he can fight with it.’’

Duco Events promoter David Higgins was unaware of the injury.

‘‘His nose was flat when he arrived and will be flatter when he goes home,’’ Higgins claimed.

‘‘If Brian had the courtesy of telling me first I would have been more sympathetic.’’